Thirsty
A Novel
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4.5 • 2 Ratings
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- $2.99
Publisher Description
"Sensitively wrought and gorgeously written." —Courtney Summers, New York Times bestselling author of Sadie and I’m the Girl
From the award-winning author of We Deserve Monuments comes a searing, emotionally charged novel about a girl desperate to belong, a spiral into alcohol-fueled chaos, and the raw, unflinching path to finding herself.
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
A Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year
It’s the summer before college and Blake Brenner and her girlfriend, Ella, have one goal: join the mysterious and exclusive Serena Society. The sorority promises status and lifelong connections to a network of powerful, trailblazing women of color. Ella’s acceptance is a sure thing—she’s the daughter of a Serena alum. Blake, however, has a lot more to prove.
As a former loner from a working-class background, Blake lacks Ella’s pedigree and confidence. Luckily, she finds courage at the bottom of a liquor bottle. When she drinks, she’s bold, funny, and unstoppable—and the Serenas love it. But as pledging intensifies, so does Blake’s drinking, until it’s seeping into every corner of her life. Ella assures Blake that she’s fine; partying hard is what it takes to make the cut . . .
But success has never felt so much like drowning. With her future hanging in the balance and her past dragging her down, Blake must decide how far she’s willing to go to achieve her glittering dreams of success—and how much of herself she’s willing to lose in the process.
A powerful exploration of the lengths we go to feel seen, and the devastating consequences of an unquenchable thirst. Perfect for fans of Kathleen Glasgow's The Glass Girl and Helena Fox's How It Feels to Float.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Eighteen-year-old biracial (Black and white) Blake Brenner is excited to spend the summer before her freshman year of college at prestigious Jameswell University working at the local yacht club and partying until dawn with her long-term girlfriend Ella and best friend Annetta. Blake is also hoping to gain entrance to the secret Serena Society, an exclusive Jameswell club of powerful women of color. When the three girls are invited to pledge—a task made easier for affluent legacy recruits Annetta and Ella—they know they'll have to impress the current members with their tenacity and determination, as well as with their ability to withstand an intense partying culture in which getting blackout drunk is the norm. As they get swept up in the parties and myriad pledge tasks, Annetta worries about Blake's heavy drinking, but Blake is more preoccupied with maintaining her status within the Serena Society and navigating her increasingly toxic relationship with Ella. Hammonds (We Deserve Monuments) expertly weaves explorations of class, family, queer identity, race, and substance reliance into a glittering, harrowing narrative that is compulsively readable, gorgeously written, and intricately crafted. Ages 14–up.
Customer Reviews
A Raw Portrayal
I knew based on the premise that Thirsty would be tugging on my heart, but I'm not sure I knew just how much. Though this book is quite a raw portrayal of its themes of addiction, trying to fit in, and feeling unworthy, it is written in a way that feels well targeted to its YA audience. I would recommend this for older teens as they near the end of high school, and are transitioning into college and adulthood.
Thirsty is great at putting you into the mind of the main character, Blake, including the way it was formatted. I think that attention to detail really added to the experience.
I do definitely urge readers to check the content warnings before reading this story (they are included at the beginning of the book). Hammonds introduced conversations concerning race and gender, and also on attitudes around drinking, so well. Often concerns are dismissed around these topics if someone's life hasn't been completely destroyed yet, and Jas challenges that mindset with this book. I think this story could be a great way to introduce or jumpstart discussions that people (me) have been avoiding with family and friends.